Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Whether fighting a flu or just the cold weather, nothing warms you up faster than a bowl of chicken soup. This hearty version filled with vegetables and wild rice is guaranteed to hit the spot.

What to buy: We used a store-bought blend of wild and white rice, but feel free to use any unseasoned rice mixture you can find.

Ingredients

2 tablespoonsolive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

3 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped

3 large celery stalks, finely chopped

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

12 cups (3 quarts) low-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cupswild rice blend

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, medium dice

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, medium dice

1/4 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley

Instructions

1Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 10 minutes.

2Add broth and rice, season with salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, until rice is tender but still has some firmness, about 25 to 30 minutes.

3Add chicken, and season with freshly ground black pepper. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add parsley, taste, and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Beverage pairing:Kim Crawford Unoaked Chardonnay, New Zealand. The familiar, comforting flavors in this soup don’t want an exotic wine to challenge them, but rather something easy to soothe them. This Chardonnay offers gentle apple, citrus, and stone-fruit flavors with a prick of acidity and a nice viscous texture.